


Let's Run

by Huntress79



Series: The Redemption Of Bucky Barnes [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Remembers, Multi, Not Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Past Bucky Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 23:29:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19119925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress79/pseuds/Huntress79
Summary: Back in the day, the Asset wasn’t always a mind-wiped weapon. A night in Tokyo, stolen away from their handlers, is still burned into the back of their minds – and with it the dreams they both had at that time, even after everything they’ve been put through.





	Let's Run

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [superhero_land](https://superhero-land.livejournal.com/)’s [Pass-It-On Writing Challenge](https://superhero-land.livejournal.com/59169.html), and the prompt “Do you ever think of running away?” by ama_ranth_827. Starts at some point after “The Winter Soldier”, though the flashback is set shortly before Natasha meets Clint and subsequently defects to SHIELD. Another tie-in into my “The Redemption of Bucky Barnes” series. Enjoy!

*********************

You would think after all the time he was put on ice during missions, Bucky Barnes wouldn't need as much sleep as normal people. But still, here he was, waking up to the smell of coffee wafting in from the kitchen, along with (at least) two voices.

The deeper, gruffier one was unmistakably Steve, and Bucky had to grin that not a lot of people knew this voice of his boyfriend. When Steve was out as Captain America, his voice did something that brought an authoritative, commanding edge to it, ridding it from almost all its Brooklyn accent in the process (not to mention the delicious shudders it sent down Bucky’s spine every time he was either with them on a mission or listening in from the tower).

The other voice was definitely female, but it took Bucky some moments to realize who was in the kitchen with Steve. Only when their early morning guest let out a guffaw did his still somewhat scattered brain recognize the voice as Natasha’s, the few instances where he heard that melodic laughter before safely tucked away in some corners of his mind where the HYDRA scientists couldn’t reach them.

Heaving a sigh (What? The bed was damn comfortable!), Bucky got out of bed at last. Making a detour to the bathroom, he ambled over to the kitchen, intent on waking up the rest of his body with a large dose of caffeine (even super soldiers and former assassins have their weaknesses XD). A greeting died right on his lips when right that moment he crossed the threshold, the kitchen radio started to play a song. “Big in Japan” by Alphaville was the “culprit”, and in a heartbeat, Bucky was transported to a time where he and Natasha had a common dream.

*********************

_Begin Flashback_  
Tokyo

_Falling down on the (way too small) bed of their hideaway, the Asset had trouble to grasp the fact that they were really here. “They” were he and Natalia, and somehow, they had managed to sneak away from their handlers after the mission was completed and their most recent target was dead. For a fleeting moment, the Asset remembered the term “like grounded teenagers”, but before he could mull more over it, movement to his right brought his train of thought to a halt._

_“Hey.”_

_It was just this one word, but the softness in Natalia’s voice and the almost whispering way she said it made the Asset turn his head around to face her (or as much as it was possible in the dark of the bedroom)._

_“Yeah?”_

_He gave back, but try as he might, he couldn’t infuse as much softness as she did in this one word._

_“Do you ever think of running away?”_

_Within a second, the Asset was sitting in the bed, causing Natalia to mirror his actions (and grabbing her gun, as he noticed with a delay)_

_“Why should I? I don’t know anything else as this,” he gestured down his front. “Besides, even if I would, they would either kill me in a heartbeat or wipe me until there’s nothing left of me.”_

_“Exactly,” Natalia began while shifting closer to him. “That’s why we both have to try to get away from them when we still can.” She went still, but the Asset knew that there was more coming. And true to his predictions, she continued only moments later._

_“I don’t know how you ended up with the FSB, but somehow, I get the feeling that none of us really belongs with them.” The Asset remained still, only his breathing reminded her of his presence. “Did you know that the guy we got killed tonight just had a baby a week ago with his wife?”_

_“No, but that doesn’t change the fact that he was a threat to the plans of our handlers. And we’re here to make sure that everything comes to fruition, by eliminating those who pose a threat.” He huffed a breath. “Get a grip, Widow. Madame B would be disappointed to hear that you let emotions compromise everything they taught you.” The Asset’s voice turned cold, and involuntarily, Natalia shuddered._

_“Is it really that easy?” Natalia finally challenged, turning her head to catch his eyes. Once upon a time, she could read something undiscernible in them, but now, they were dull, calculating, not a flicker of life in them._

_“Life isn’t easy at all, doll,” the Asset all but ground out, but Natalia couldn’t help but let out a whoop in her mind at hearing the hitch in his breath when he realized what he had said. Somehow, she finally had found out that her usual partner was an American, going by the name of James Barnes. And if her knowledge of American colloquialism wasn't entirely wrong, "doll" was a term of endearment._

_Knowing when to fold her cards, Natalia slightly pushed at his flesh shoulder, and instinctively, James wrapped the attached arm around her, bringing her down with him. Before sleep claimed her for the remainder of the night, Natalia heard him whisper “And yeah, I think about it all the time.”_

_End Flashback_

*********************

“Are you okay, James?”

Once again, it was the soft edge in her voice that brought Bucky back to the reality, and when he opened his eyes, he was met not only by the mesmerizing sea-green pair of Natasha, but also by the deep blue ones of Steve, both their brows knitted in worry.

“Yeah, I’m okay, you mother-hens,” Bucky grumbled out good-natured, while pushing through the small gap between them and flopping down in one of the seats at the breakfast island.

He heard them both sigh behind him, and within a few seconds, both Steve and Natasha resumed what they were doing before his little “episode” - Steve finishing breakfast preparations, and Natasha nursing her coffee. Out of thin air, a steaming cup of it materialized in front of Bucky, and lo and behold, he all but inhaled half of it before Steve even had the time to place sugar and milk in front of him.

With a smile and a shrug, the blond turned back to the stove, while Natasha angled her body so that she could look Bucky in the eye.

“Something wrong, doll?” he finally asked, the beginning of a smile tugging on the corners of his mouth.

“You know, Barnes, I was about to ask you the same,” she answered. “What was going on in that brain of yours before?”

“Nothing bad,” he saw Steve exhale visibly at hearing his answer, “just a trip down memory lane, that’s all.” Bucky reveled a few seconds in the silence that took over the kitchen before adding “Say, Natalia, remember Tokyo?”

*********************

The End

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End file.
